Crimson and Rams butt heads in Bronx

Bronx, NY – Off to their best start since the 1945-1946 ranked Harvard Crimson will look to continue their success as conference bout.

This will be the 12th meeting between Harvard and Fordham. The Rams hold a 7-3 advantage in the all-time series. The Crimson dominated last year's encounter 80-57 in Lavietes Pavilion.

Head coach Tommy Amaker is an early candidate for national coach of the year after the Crimson's 12-1 start. Harvard has beaten respectable competitors on its journey so far including Loyola Marymount, Florida State, UCF, and most recently, Saint Joseph's. The Crimson trailed by 14 points to Saint Joseph's before rallying for their fourth straight victory. Harvard has one of the best defense's in the nation as it ranks eighth with 55.4 points allowed per game.

Kyle Casey was instrumental in Harvard's win over Saint Joseph's, as he recorded his first double-double of the year with 26 points and 10 rebounds. The junior forward leads the team with 11.8 ppg on the year. Keith Wright is second on the team in scoring with 11.1 ppg and first in rebounding with 7.3 rpg. Wright has recorded just two double-doubles this season after leading the team with 12 last year. Brandyn Curry is a solid point guard for the Crimson as he is fourth in the conference in assists with 4.9 per game and tied for first in steals with 32.

Taking down Fordham is not going to be an easy task for the Crimson, as the Rams are 5-1 on their home court this season despite being 6-6 overall. Head coach Tom Peccora led his team to wins in its last two outings as they beat Texas State before taking down Georgia Tech on December 29th. The Rams won despite having a lower shooting percentage from the field and three-point range than their opponent due to their superb rebounding effort, as they outrebounded the Yellow Jackets 40-26. Fordham's offense has struggled this season as it is second to last in the Atlantic 10 with an average of 62.4 ppg.

The Rams are led by forward Chris Gaston. The junior is fifth in the conference in scoring (16.7 ppg) and first in rebounding (11.3 rpg). Gaston stepped up big time against Georgia Tech with 23 points and 17 rebounds, his 46th career double-double. Branden Frazier, Devon McMillan, and Bryan Smith are all solid contributors with scoring averages above nine points per game. Frazier contributed 19 points in the Rams' win over Georgia Tech.